


Cracks in the Walls

by StealtheRest



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:33:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27282727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StealtheRest/pseuds/StealtheRest
Summary: What if Josh had told Donna about Bartlet's MS instead of Toby
Relationships: Josh Lyman/Donna Moss
Comments: 12
Kudos: 47





	Cracks in the Walls

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written / posted a fic before so please be nice :) 
> 
> This idea was swimming in my head and I had to get it out!

“Donna can you come here please?” Josh stared at Donna ask she walked in, the world still cracking into pieces around him.

“You have a call with Senator Klein at four today and I a meeting with-”

“Donna,” he said again, his voice with a slight waver. 

She looked up at him, and for a moment, Josh didn’t want to say it. She was just so young, and hopeful and wide-eyed. She didn’t know about secrets that could destroy an administration. She didn’t know about misplaced trust in heroes. 

Josh didn’t want to be the one who shattered her world. He didn’t want to tell her the news he hadn’t really been dealing with. But he knew all the same that he didn’t want it to be somebody else to tell her. 

“Can you close the door?” 

Donna sat down in the visitors chair. Josh abruptly stood up, pacing. Her brow furrowed. 

“You okay?” He looked down at her, her blue eyes wide, and trusting. 

He sat down in the chair next to her, angling it so he could look directly at her face. 

“Donna, eight years ago President Bartlet was diagnosed with MS.” Josh forced his eyes to hers. 

“I understand if you want to resign. I mean for a minute - never mind. But please don’t quit Donna. I mean I can’t do this job without you. C.J. Sam, I mean god even Toby, we all count on you and I just couldn’t-”

“Josh…” Donna’s voice cracked through his frantic rambling. “Josh, are you kidding me. I’m not resigning.”

Josh looked at her again, his heart rate decreasing just a little. 

“Josh, are you okay?” 

He swallowed thickly. “Yeah.” 

“Josh…”

“Really, Donna, I’m okay.”

“Is the President in a lot of pain?” 

“No, he’s in remission.” 

Donna abruptly stood, grabbing Josh’s hand and forcing him to stand with her. 

“Josh, are you sure you’re okay?”

He looked at her. Donna. Standing there in the middle of his office, having just found out career ending news, and there she was. Donna. More concerned with the well being of the President and her boss. Donna. Who hired herself but put her trust in his unruly personality. Donna.

He found himself grabbing for her. Wrapping his arms roughly around her. Donna, for her part, was only momentarily surprised until she found herself with her arms wrapped just as tightly around him. He buried his face in her neck, inhaling the scent of her shampoo and perfume, and just her Donna-ness. 

Donna gently stroked his back and turned her face into his neck.

There they stood, in the middle of Josh’s office. Josh and Donna. Holding each other while the world around them crumbled.


End file.
